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No. 608,668. Patented Aug. 9, I898. J. W. GRAVES.

SUTTON PRESS.

(Application filed Feb. 25, 1898.)

. 3 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

J. W. GRAVES.

COTTON PRESS.

(Application filed Feb. 25, 1898.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

No, 608,668, Patented Aug. 9, I898.

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No. 608,668. Patented Aug. 9, I898. J. w. GRAVES.

COTTON PRESS.

(Application filed Feb. 25, 189B.)

3 Sheats$heet 3.

(No Model.)

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JOHN T. GRAVES, OF LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN COTTON COMPANY, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.

COTTON-PRESS,

SPECIFICATION forming part f Letters Patent No. 608,668, dated August 9, 1898. Application filed February 25, 1898 Serial No- 671,677. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN W. GRAVES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Little Rock, in the county of Pulaski and State of Arkansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cotton-Presses, (Case 13,) of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in cotton-presses, and particularly to presses intended forthe production of cylindricalshaped bales which are formed by winding an endless sheet or bat in convolutional layers, generally upon a core, each layer being subjected to pressure.

The prescntinlprovements are directed particularly to the driving mechanism of a cotton-press of this type and to the pressureproducing mechanism thereof.

My improved driving mechanism is particularly adapted for use with those cotton-presses employing two baling-rolls which are relatively movable to accommodate the enlarging bale; but the said driving mechanism can be employed in connection with presses employ-- ing more than two baling-rolls with or without a core.

The improved pressure-producing mechanism which I have invented can be conveniently. used with a two-roll press, although it may be employed in connection with presses using compression-belts or more than two baling-rolls, its especial advantage being that its employment will result in the imposition upon the bale of a grad ually-increasing pressure, as has been found in practice to be desirable. With my improved pressure device I obtain this gradually-increasing resistance to the separation of the baling-rolls by mechanical means, and thereby dispense with all packings, cylinders, pistons, pipes, and airchambcrs which are now used in pressure mechanisms wherein a gradually-increasing pressure is applied to the bale.

Broadly stated, myimproved driving mechanism comprises a driven shaft having worms or screws thereon and connections between the latter and a plurality of baling-rolls, whereby said baling-rolls willbe driven in the same direction and at the same peripheral speed without the imposition upon the driving-shaft of any material thrust. Heretofore heretofore suggested a heavy thrust-bearing was necessary to take up the thrust between the worm-gears and the driving-shaft, thereby not only increasing the expense, but requiring more shaft. I overcome this objection by mounting one of the Worm-gears on the shaft of one of the baling-rolls and bymounting the other worm-gear on a counter-shaft which is geared to the other baling-roll and turns in the opposite direction, whereby the main driving-shaft will carry a right-hand and a left-hand worm and will rotate the worm-gears in opposite directions, so that the thrust of one wormgear will be counterbalanced by the thrust of the other wor1n-gear.

Broadly stated, my improved pressure-producing device consists of a rotatable shaft bearing at one end upon suitable thrust blocks, carrying a heavy thread thereon, with which cooperates a nut connected to the movable baling-roll, means being combined with said threaded shaft for gradually increasing the resistance of the same to the rotating influence produced by the engagement of said nut with the thread' The means which I prefer to employ for thus gradually increasing the resistance imposed upon the said threaded shaft comprise a heavy endless chain or frame carrying thereon a series of graduated weights which are successively elevated by the rotation of the threaded shaft.

In order that my invention may be better understood, attention is directed to the accompanying drawings,forming a part of this specification, and in Which- Figure 1 is a plan view of a two-roll horizontal press, showing my present improvements applied thereto; Fig. 2, a side eleva= tion of the same; Fig. 8, a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4C a diagrammatic View illustrating in full lines the position of the baling-rolls at the starting of a bale and in power to operate the drivingdotted lines the position of the movable baling-roll when the bale is finished.

In all of the above views corresponding parts are represented by the same numerals of reference.

The press shown in the drawings and which I have illustrated my invention as being employed with is in its general construction of a well-known type. It comprises the side frames 1 1, having the cross-frames 2 and 3 at the ends thereof. The said side frames are provided with suitable feet 4,which are bolted to heavy beams or skids 5.

6 and 7 represent the two baling-rolls,whieh are mounted in the same horizontal plane, the

former being carried in stationary bearingbloeks and the latter in movable bearingblocks.

8 is the core, on which the bale is formed by the convolutional winding of a continuous sheet or bat of cotton, said core being carried in suitable slots 9, formed in the side frames. Each side frame is provided with a cut-out portion 10, above which is bolted a top plate 11, so that a slot 12 will be formed at each side of the machine. The stationary bearingblocks 13 for the baling-roll 6 are bolted in place in this slot. Depending from the top plate 11 at each side of the machine is a Web 0 14, which occupies the slot 12 immediately in 3 5 1 5, said bearing-blocks moving longitudin ally in the slot 12, so as to accommodate the enlarging bale formed on the core 8. Mounted on the shaft 16 of the movable baling-roll 7 is a large worm-gear 1.7, which meshes with and is driven by an elongated worm 18 on the main driving-shaft 19. Said driving-shaft is carried in suitable bearing-boxes 20 at the side of the machine and extends lengthwise thereof. Power is applied to the driving-shaft 5 1.9 in any suitable way, such as by means of a d rivin g-pulley 21, keyed to one end thereof. ,In order to rotate the baling-roll G, I employ a counter-shaft 22, which is mounted in bearing-boxes 23, bolted to the side frames 1 directly behind the bearing-blocks 13. This counter-shaft drives the baling-roll U in an opposite direction through the gears 2 1 and 25. Keyed to the counter-shaft 22 is a wormgcar 26, which extends in line with and nor- 5 5 mally directly behind the worm-gear 17, the

two worm-gears being of the same size. The worm-gear 26 engages and is driven by a short worm 27 on the driving-shaft 19. As it is necessary in operation that the two bal- 6o ing-rolls (5 and 7 should rotate in the same direction and since the counter-shaft 22,with its worm-gear, rotates in an opposite direction from the baling-roll 0, it is necessary in order that the baling-rolls shall be properly driven that the worms 18 and 27 should be oppositely disposedvj. 6., that one should be right-hand and the other left-hand. B y thus vertical guides 30.

using oppositely-disposed Worms on the main driving-shaft the thrust of one wormgear will be counterbalanced by the thrust of the other worm-gear, and in consequence the employment of a heavy thrust-bearing for the driving-shaft 19, as is now the case, is unnecessary, and a resulting saving in power is thereby secured.

In the drawings I illustrate the bahng-rolls G and 7 as cooperating with an endless compression-belt 28, which extends over the bal-.

ing-r0117, thence under the core 8 and over the baling-roll G, the loop or bight of said belt re ceiving a compression-roller 29, movable in While such a belt is of value, (as by its use a larger portion of the surface of the bale will be subjected to pressure,) it is obvious that it may be dispensed with and that the bales may be formed entirely by the cooperation of the two balingrolls working upon the forming bale.

Whether a belt is used or not in combination with the baling-rolls it is desirable, in 1 order that the bales when they are finished may be removed from the machine, that one of the baling-rolls should be capable of being arrested in its rotation, whereby the rotation of the other baling-roll will tend to elevate the bale out of the press. Nhen a belt is not employed, the stopping of one roll and the :continuance of the rotation of the other roll may be used to eject the finished bale from a beneath the press, as will be understood. In i order that this may be done, a suitable clutch f is preferably interposed between one of the i baling-rolls and its driving means, and in @Fig. 1 I illustrate a clutch 31, carried on the :counter-shaft 22 and by which the gear 2a may be connected to and disconnected from f said counter-shaft. The clutch 31 is operated in any suitable way.

In order to apply pressure to the bale during its formation, any suitable pressure device, such as a hydraulic cylinder or a friction-brake, may be used. In the drawings I illustrate a convenient and novel type of Fpressure-producing mechanism which may i be employed with the press shown, but which also is capable of use with other types of presses and analogous devices. This pressure mechanism consists of a pressure-prod ucing shaft 32, the rear end of which works 'in a heavy thrust-bearing 33, comprisiu g a se- ;ries of thrust-blocks arranged face to face, as is now common. The said pressure-producing shaft carries a heavy worm thread or gscrew 3 1 thereon, preferably of a very eonsiderable pitch, as shown. This thread is ,engaged by a nut 35, which may be a part of Ethe yoke 15 or be a separate element conneet'ed therewith, so that upon longitudinally moving said yoke the shaft 32 will be rotated. .The resistance of the shaft 32 to the rotativc effect created by the engagement between the nut 35 and the thread 34: will, if the thread is of the proper pitch, be sufficient for the iimposition of the desired pressure upon the the core.

of the same in its rotation will be gradually increased. Suitable devices to this end are illustrated in the drawings.

36 represents a miter-gear keyed to the shaft adjacent to the thrust-bearing Said gear engages a similar gear 37, keyed to the end of a short shaft 38, mounted in bear,- ings 39 39. Keyed to said shaft 38 at the side of the machine are two sprocket-wheels 40, over which extend the two endless sprocketchains 41, said chains being connected by light cross-bars 42, which may be the continuation of the "pivots of said chains. At all times the two chains il hang in a loop beneath the sprocket-wheels 40. Secured to the cross-bars 4E2 of the chains 41, on one side of the lowermost position of said chains when the baling-rolls are moved into position to start a bale, are weights 43, which are of gradually increasing mass. These weights at the starting of the bale tend to rotate the sprocket-wheels 40, and thus communicate movement to the shaft 32; but the friction of said shaft and the engagement between the nut 35 and the thread 3% will prevent this movement. As the baling-roll 7 moves outwardly with the growth of the bale the nut 35, engaging the thread 34, will rotate the shaft 32, and the chains 41 will be moved, allowing the weights 43 to gradually approach the lowermost position and to then be gradually elevated on the other side, so that their effect will be to produce a gradually-increasin g resistance to the rotation of the pressureproducing shaft 32, as will be understood.

The operation of my improved device is as follows: When a belt is used, as explained, it will at the starting of the bale be in close engagement with the core 8 and the balingrolls 6 and 7 will be approached together, so as to engage the belt at diametric points of Power is now applied to the driving-pulley 21, so as to rotate the shaft 19. The engagement between the worm 18 and the gear 17 will directly drive the baling-roll 7 in the desired direction. The engagement between the worm 27 and the gear 20 will r0- tate said gear in an opposite direction; but by reason of the gears 2 k and the balingroll 6 will be driven in the same direction and with the same peripheral speed as the baling-roll 7. For reasons which have been explained any thrust of the gear 17 will be counterbalanced by the gear 26, so that the employment of a heavy thrust-bearing for the driving-shaft 19 is dispensed with. The bal ing-rolls 6 and 7 in thus being driven will carry the belt 28 with them, so that when an endless sheet or bat of cotton is introduced upon said belt it will be wound in convolutional layers on the core 8, as is now common. As the bale enlarges the baling-roll 7 will gradually move away from the baling-roll G, the worm-gear 17 moving relatively to the worm 18 in the same way that a gear-wheel works upon a rack. This lateral movement of the baling-roll 7 causes the nut to rotate the pressure-producing shaft 32, and as the resistance of this shaft to rotation is gradually increased a gradually-increasing pressure will be imposed upon the forming bale. After the bale has been finished it is covered in anysuitable way, having by this time reached the end of the horizontal portion of the slot 9 and being in line with the vertical portion thereof, as shown in Fig. 4. The bale is now removed in any desired manner, such as by disconnecting the clutch 31, so as to allow rotation of the baling-roll 6 to be arrested, and by continuing the rotation of the balin g-roll 7 in the direction of the arrow, whereby the looped portion of the belt will be straightened out, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 4, carrying the bale with it;

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. In a cotton-press, the combination of two baling-rolls, a main driving-shaft, a righthand Worm and a left-hand worm carried by said shaft, a worm-gear connected to and driving one of said baling-rolls and engaging one of said worms, a counter -shaft, connections between said counter-shaft and the other baling-roll, and a wormgear on said countershaft engaging the other of said worms, sub stantially as set forth. 7

2. In acotton-press, the combination of two baling-rolls, a main driving-shaft, a righthand worm and a left-hand Worm carried by said shaft, a worm-gear connected to and driving one of said baling-rolls and engaging one of said worms, a countenshaft, connections between said counter-shaft and the other baling-roll, a worm-gear on said counter-shaft engaging the other of said worms, and a core between said baling-rolls on which the halo is formed.

3. In a cottonpress, the combination of two baling-rolls, a main driving-shaft, a right-- hand worm and a left-hand worm carried by said shaft, a worm-gear carriedby one balingtoo ITO

roll and engaging one of said worms, a counter-shaft, connections between said countershaft and the other baling-roll, and a wormgear on said counter-shaft engaging the other of said worms, substantially as set forth.

4. In a cotton-press, the combination of two baling-rolls, a driving-shaft, two oppositely disposed worms on said shaft, a worm-gear carried directly by one of said baling-rolls and engaging one of said worms, a countershaft, a worm-gear carried by said countershaft and engaging the other of said worms, and a pair of gears between said counter-shaft and the other of said baling-rolls, whereby the last-mentioned baling-roll will be driven in a direction opposite to the counter-shaft, substantially as set forth.

5. 111 a cotton-press, the combination with a movable baling-roll, of a pressure-produc ing shaft, connections between said balingroll and said shaft for rotating the latter, and

means for gradually increasing the resistance I 1 a movable baling-roll, of a threaded pressure- I producing shaft, a nut carried by said baling- E roll and engaging said shaft, a thrust-bearing 1 to rotation of said shaft, substantially as set forth.

6. In a cotton-press, the combination with a movable baling-roll, of a pressure-producshaft, and an endless chain driven by said ing shaft, connections between said balingroll and said shaft for rotating the latter, means for gradually increasing the resistance to rotation of said shaft, and a thrust-bearin g i f a movable baling-roll, of a threaded pressure- 5 producing shaft, a nut carried by said balingfor receiving the longitudinal thrust of said shaft, substantially as set forth.

7. In a cotton-press, the combination with a movable baling-roll, of a pressure-producing shaft arranged parallel to the longitudinal movement of said roll, connections between said shaft and said baling-roll for rotating the former, and means for gradually increasing the resistance to rotation of said shaft, substantially as set forth.

8. In a cotton-press, the combination with a movable baling-roll, of a threaded pressureproducing shaft, a nut carried by said balingroll and engaging said shaft, a thrust-bearing for receiving the longitudinal thrust of said shaft, and means for gradually increasing the resistance to rotation of said shaft, substantially as set forth.

9. In a cotton-press, the combination with for receiving the longitudinal thrust of said shaft for resisting the rotation of the same, substantially as set forth.

10. In a cotton-press, the combination with roll and engaging said shaft, a thrust-bearing for receiving the longitudinal thrust of said shaft, and an endless chain carrying graduated Weights driven by said shaft for gradually increasing the resistance to rotation of i the same, substantially as set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this I 12th day of February, 1898. 

